title: Safety representatives' views on their interaction with workers in a context of unequal power relations: an exploratory qualitative study in Barcelona (Spain).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The interaction between workers and safety representatives (SRs), a factor that determines SRs' effectiveness, is an unexplored issue within occupational health research.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a qualitative exploratory interpretative-descriptive study by means of semi-structured interviews with SRs from Barcelona (Spain) to analyze the SRs' perspective on the interaction with workers and its determinants
  
  
  RESULTS
  SRs' interaction with workers is mainly limited to information processes and to identifying occupational hazards. Prominent factors determining this interaction are associated with the way SRs understand and carry out their role, the firm sector and size, and workers' fear of dismissal, exacerbated by changes in the labor market and the current economic crisis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interaction with workers is influenced by a more prevalent technical-legal view of the SRs' role and by unequal power relations between workers and management. Poor interaction with workers might lead to decreasing SRs' effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Grup de Recerca en Desigualtats en Salut-Employment Conditions Network (GREDS-EMCONET), Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ollé-Espluga
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menéndez-Fuster
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muntaner
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benach
authors.forename: Montse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vergara-Duarte
authors.forename: María Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vázquez
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007750:Labor Unions; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012449:Safety; D013030:Spain
keywords: Spain; interaction; occupational health; qualitative study; safety representatives; unions; workers; workers' participation